Santa Cruz County Transportation Articles

It is said that there are more opinions than people in Santa Cruz county, and the Rail and Trail project has not only spanned decades, it swarms with opinions, ideas, and contradictions. As the Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Commission takes …

West Cliff Drive remains closed to drivers between Almar Avenue and Columbia Street. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> More than 60% of respondents in a recent survey said West Cliff Drive should be one-way. Respondents ranked …

“Intelligent” speed-limiting technology will be required in all new California cars starting in 2027, if a new law authored by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener passes.

With traffic deaths now regularly topping 300 per year, Measure HLA on the March 5 ballot gives Los Angeles voters the opportunity to force their reluctant city to implement new traffic safety measures.

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Drivers’ complaints about difficulty getting insurance coverage prompt state to reiterate laws, signal possible enforcement actions.

As the state battles climate change and Californians drive fewer gas-powered cars, tax revenue will drop substantially, according to a new state analysis. EV fees will make up only part of the transportation shortfall so lawmakers need new funding options.

 
Derek R. Whaley is a historian and research librarian, who was born and raised in Felton, California. He earned a doctorate in history from the University of Canterbury in 2018. He began researching Santa Cruz County history in 2011 …

After a 2018 vote authorizing the state legislature to make daylight saving time year-round, Californians are still changing their clocks twice per year. How did we get here?

Work is expected to finish in February on a paved rail trail near California Street and the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility. The path will run along the railroad tracks toward Neary Lagoon and Beach Street. (Tyler Maldonado — Santa …

Santa Cruz Local newsletter briefs for the week of Oct. 29

Repairs on a sinkhole on Schulties Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains are expected to start by late November. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> With an El Niño-driven winter expected, road crews in Santa Cruz County …

A recent incident in San Francisco spurred the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend the licenses for Cruise’s driverless cars.

Plus: Bus depot housing project expected to start in February.

Logistics is one of the largest industries in California and keeps the state economy running. But it also comes with a heavy cost to the environment. Here are the facts on the most important industry you don't know much about, …

The report details the environmental changes that might result from the rail trail

In a future envisioned by Watsonville officials, the city’s downtown will be a vibrant and bustling place where commerce, mixed-use housing and a redesigned transit system intermingle and trees line a narrowed, two-lane Main Street. The Downtown Specific Plan, approved …

Historian Derek Whaley Celebrates New Book By Julie Horner Sidetracked: Laurel and Glenwood, by Derek R. Whaley, PhD is the third in the Santa Cruz Trains series of authoritative books about the history of Santa Cruz area trains, tracks, tunnels, …